Last updated on July 1st, 2021
While crossbow manufacturers go above and beyond to ensure that all of their equipment is functioning safely and correctly, accidents can still happen. Sometimes, it’s merely a matter of materials or a manufacturing issue. But whatever the reason, when you’re struggling to pull back, or “cock,” your crossbow, it can be pretty frustrating, to say the least.
This sort of problem is less common than it formerly was, although it could be the result of cocking without the safety mechanism in the “fire” position. That used to be required on some crossbows, but nowadays it doesn’t matter whether the safety is set to safe or fire during cocking. In that scenario, ensure that you pull the string all the way back.
Here’s how to correctly cock a crossbow:
- Set the safety to the “fire” setting. The safety is normally positioned on the side of your crossbow or on the back of the sight bridge.
- When manually cocking a crossbow, place the ball of your foot in the stirrup to help prevent slippage.
- Next, it’s time to retract the string. Bend over the stock and pull the string back by hand. It is also possible to use a cocking device. Draw the string evenly along both sides of the barrel to the locking and safety mechanism until it is cocked.
- Re-enable the safety function. Do this by switching the safety off the fire position once your crossbow is cocked. Some models will automatically engage the safety feature. Check your crossbow manual to determine if you need to manually engage it before cocking your crossbow.
Keep in mind that manually drawing back the string necessitates engaging your hands, arms, legs, and lower back. However, you cannot simply bend over the stock to cock a longer recurve crossbow. Because the stock is too lengthy for you to reach the string, you’ll have to lean to the side.
If you cock manually or with a cocking mechanism, you must take care to keep the string in the same evenly centered trigger-latch position every time. Mark the string with a marker on each side of the rail to provide a visual clue that the string is centered.
This will promote consistent downrange accuracy. Using a cocking device instead of doing it by hand will help to ensure uniform string positioning. While cocking, keep the crossbow’s front end pointed in a safe direction downrange. In the event of an accidental dry.
Be sure to never deactivate the safety unless you have an arrow positioned in a firing position on the crossbow and are ready to shoot. fire, you should follow this safety precaution even if you do not have an arrow loaded.
Can you make a crossbow easier to pull back?
The main reason why a crossbow may be difficult to cock is that the draw weight is too high for the power ratio. This means that in order to make it easier to pull back, you’ll need to reduce the draw weight (the weight you’re going to have to pull back to load it).
If you are a hunter, there are legal requirements for minimum draw weights while crossbow hunting and these standards differ by state, so make sure you know what your minimum is before making a decision. The power of the bolt determines what you can effectively hunt with a crossbow. That power is governed by both the bow’s speed rating and the weight/mass of the bolt.
One of the ways in which you can make your crossbow easier to pull back is by opting for a recurve crossbow instead of a compound crossbow. Recurve crossbows are quieter and lighter than compound crossbows.
When there are fewer moving parts, there is less noise and weight. Recurves are less powerful than compound crossbows. A compound will shoot faster than a recurve for any given draw weight.
Another way in which you can make your crossbow easier to pull back is by using a cocking device to help you. These can help to reduce the draw weight of a particular bow by up to 50%. Hand-cocking a crossbow can be difficult if you have impairments or other strength and movement limitations.
Modern crossbows can have draw weights in excess of 150 pounds, and it’s simple to misalign the bow while pulling back the string by hand.
A simple rope cocker is constructed of rope and two pulleys, and it literally makes drawing the crossbow easier. Instead of pulling on the string itself, you hold the bow down with your foot and pull on the rope handles. This provides you a mechanical edge over the bow, which can mean the difference between being able to load or not being able to load the bow.
Cocking devices do not have to be made from rope; in fact, a crank cocking device, which is mechanical and permanently attached to the bow, makes the draw even easier. These are crank handles that allow you to wind the string back and get an advantage over the rope cocker.
Crank cockers add weight to your bow, but they’re perfect if you require a high-power bow but don’t have a high-power body, or if you’re healing from an injury.
Whether you choose a recurve crossbow, a compound crossbow, or a reverse limb crossbow, knowing what you’re cocking will help you choose the best match for you. For example, you can pick the dependability of a recurve, but you should be aware that they are the most difficult to cock on the market. In the center, there are compound crossbows, which vary greatly in terms of quality and cocking weights.
If you want the best of both worlds, reverse limb crossbows are the way to go. Not because they are better than the previous two, but because they combine low cocking weight with outstanding velocity. There are two things that all crossbows have in common.
Before you begin cocking the string, ensure that your foot is securely situated in the foot stirrup. Many injuries or damage to the crossbow are avoided by this little feature. Also, before cocking your crossbow, you must deactivate the safety. These two actions are essential for all types of crossbows.
